Artificial leather and process of making the same.



- UNTTED %TATE@ PATENT @FFTQE.

' SAIDAKICHI SATOW, or SENDAI, JAPAN.

ARTIFICIAL LEATHER AND PROCESS OF MAKING THE SAME.

meager.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, sADAKICI-II SAToW, a subject of the Emperor of Japan, residing at Sendai, Japan, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Artificial Leather and Processes of Making the Same, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to artificial leather or leather substitute having all the properties of leather, and the process of making the same.

2% material to afford tensile strength is coated in order to give necessary body, with a mixture of sticky, viscid substances, such as oxidized castor oil, collodium solution, rubber solution, viscose, and the like. It has also been proposed to employ waste portions of natural leather in fibrous or powdered form with a suitable binding material such as starch paste to produce artificial leather. These methods are open to many and serious objections. r The presence of collodium in the artificial leather product renders such product inflammable; It is expensive and diflicult to apply a thick layer of the required substance to the cloth, textile or other fabric as the operation requires successive applications of layers or coatings, each application or coating being dried before the next succeeding application is made. The material employed cannot be rolled into a thick sheet to produce the artificial leather, and the hardness or softness of the product cannot be easily controlled.

It is among the special objects of my present invention to provide an artificial leather, or a substitute for leather and a process of making the same which avoids I the objections referred to and which product is not inflammable, can be quickly, easily Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 6, 1917,

Application filed December 11, 1916. Serial No. 136,297.

and economically made and rolled into any desired thickness with any desired degree of hardness or softness.

In carrying out my invention I employ,

vegetable proteids or proteidal substances which are glutinized with suitable agents into a sticky viscid mass. This mass may be used as a coating for cloth textile or other fabric; or it may be transformed into proteidal condensation products by the action of an active methylene compound, and rolled into sheets or applied to the fabric; or to the glutinized mass, whether or not treated with the active methylene compound, may be added suitable fibrous matter, to give tensile strength or body to the mass which may then be applied to the fabric or be rolled into sheets or other form of the desired thickness for use as an artificial leather. Suitable pigments or coloring matter may also be employed, as well as viscous substances such as oxidized oils, triphenylglycerin, viscose, hydrated cellulose of gelatinized celluloses, or the like.

The proteids are procured from any suitable raw proteid-containing material such as beans, peas, wheat, corn or other leguminous, cereal or grain products.

The proteid-containing raw material is crushed to break down the cellular structure thereof, and if it contains an undesirable percentage of oil, the oil content is removed.

This may be effected in any suitable manner, as, for example, by treating the mass with an oil solvent such as benzine. The oil solvent is then removed from the mass. The proteidal substances contained in the meal or proteid meal thus produced, are separated therefrom to produce a refined proteid product. This separation of the proteidal substances from the proteid meal may be effected in various ways. According to one method the meal is treated with'an' alkaline-solution, such as a dilute solution of caustic or carbonated alkali, or caustic or carbonated ammonia, and the proteidal' substances, either with or without further purification of the resulting liquid, are precipitated therefrom. The further purification referred to may be accomplished by filtration, .centrifuging, or the like, by fractional precipitation, fractional solution of precipitated impure proteids, or by con-- chemicalcompounds having difi'erent propproducts are precipitated out of the resultthe proteidal substances, obtained as above 22 aaaaew verting one or more components into other are still further improved if a small quantity of alkali is added thereto.

If desired, and in order to form a body erties which enable their separation to be for and to increase the tensile -.strength effected, or one or more of these various purifying methods may be employed in com of the artificial leather product, suitable bination with the others. The precipitafibrous material, such as waste hemp, cotton, tion of the refined proteidal substances Wood fiber, paper, leather waste or other is accomplished by adding a suitable acid similar material, preferably though not such as sulfuric, sulfurous, acetic or phosnecessarily possessing a long strong fiber, phoric, or by adding a suitable ferment, is added. Also, if desired, any suitable pigsuch as lactic or acetic. ment or coloring matter may also be added.

According to another method the meal is The manner in which my invention is cartreated with water and the refined proteidal ried out is illustrated in the following illustrative examples:

Example 1: The refined proteidal subing liquid, either with or'withoutpurificastances, procured as described, are kneaded tion thereof, as above explained, the precipitation being efi'ected with an acid or a ferment as above described.

According to still another method the meal is treated with an aqueous salt soluwith cresol, and the mass is kneaded again after the addition of oxidized castor oil. The resulting mass is kneaded a third time after adding thereto a small, quantity of tion, such as sodium chlorid, ammonium concentrated caustic soda solution, and a sulfate, or the like, and the resulting liquid suitable quantity of fibrous matter such as either with or without further purification, waste hemp. as explained, is subjected to dialysis. Example 2: The proteidal substances, The proteidal substances obtained as either in the crude or refined state, are above described are suitable and highly efiikneaded first with anilin, and the mass is cient for use in making artificial leather or again kneaded successively with trioxyleather substitute in accordance with my methylene and caustic soda, and the resultinvention. ing mass is applied under a hot roller to In the preparation of the artificial leather cotton cloth or other fabric, and dried.

It is to be understood, of course, that my described, are subjected to the action of a invention in its broadest scope, as defined; glutinizing agent to produce a sticky viscid, in the claims, is not to be limited to the use mass. I have found the following to be of"a nyparticular raw material containing suitable proteid Iglutinizing agents, namely, vegetable proteidsfnor toxany particular (1)'inorganic acids, such as phosphoricacid, method of recovering or refiningWiFjfifi sulfurous acid, and the like; or (2) fatty or teidal substances nor to any particular glutinoxy-fatty acids, such as formic, acetic, propionic, phenyl-propionic malonic, lactic, tartartic, citric, malic, and the like; or (3) aromatic acids, such as salicylic, benzoic and the like; or (4) phenols, such as carbolic acid, cresol, resorcin', nitro-cresol, and the like; or (5) izing agent nor to any particular condensing agent or sticky viscid substance, nor to any particular fiber. It is also to be understood that in carrying out my invention any proteid containing material in its crude state, whether admixed with fibers, carbohydrates or not, can also be used instead of organic bases, such as pyridin, urea, glycin,

' refined proteids.

anilin, naphthylamin, or other ammo compounds or the like, or (6) inorganic bases, such as caustic alkali, ammonia or the like; or above described is non-inflammable. It can (7) alkali salts of weak acids, such as borax, be easily rolled into sheets of any desired sodium phosphate, and the like. thickness or size, or applied easily, readily The properties of the mass thus obtained and quickly to any suitable cloth or fabric. which particularly adapt it for use in the It is'stro-ng, durable and economical, and manufacture of artificial leather, are greatly can be used in any situation or finished arimproved if one or more of the following ticle where leather or leather substitute is compounds are added thereto, namely, now used. By suitably varying the propor- 'sticky orviscid substances, such as oxidigedvtioncof glutinizing or condenslng agents emoils, triphenyl-glycerin, orthe like; oF visployed the degree of hardness or softness of cous plastic materials such as hydro-celluthe finished artificial leather product may lose, oxy-cellulose or cellulose-esters, and be controlled. which I will herein refer to as cellulose de- Having now set forth the objects and nariva-tives, or other viscous substances; or ture of my invention and the method of caractive methylene compounds, such as forrying the same .into practical operation,

inaldehyde, hexamgzhylenet'etramin, tridxy what I claim as new-and usefulyand of my methylene, orother aldehyde, or aliphatic own invention, and desire to secure by Let:

ters Patent is 1. In the manufacture of artificial leather and aromatic series. 1 The properties of the mass thus obtained The artificial leather product produced as 3. In the manufacture of artificial leather the process which consists in glutinizing vegetable proteids then adding a sticky viscid agent to the mass, and finally forming the resulting mass into a sheet.

4. In the manufacture of artificial leather the process which consists in glutinizing vegetable proteids then adding a sticky viscid agent to the mass, and finally adding a fibrous material to the mass.

5. In the manufacture of artificial leather, the process which consists in glutinizing vegetable proteids, then adding cellulose derivatives to the mass and finally forming the resulting mass into a sheet.

6. In the manufacture of artificial leather, the process which consists in glutinizing vegetable proteids and then adding cellulose derivatives and oxidized oil to the mass and finally adding fibrous material to the mass.

7. In the manufacture of artificial leather the process which consists in glutinizing vegetable proteids with a phenol in the ab sence of heat and then forming the resulting mass into a sheet.

8. In the manufacture of artificial leather the process which consists in glutinizing vegetable proteids with a phenol, and then mixing fibrous material with the resulting mass.

9. In the manufacture of artificial leather the process which consists in glutinizing vegetable proteids with a phenol, and then mixing a sticy viscid agent to the mass and forming the mass into a sheet.

10. In the manufacture of artificial leather the process which consists in glutinizing vegetable proteids with a phenol, then mixing a sticky viscid agent with the mass, and finally mixing fibrous material with the mass.

11. In the manufacture of artificial leather the process which consists in glutinizing vegetable proteids with a phenol, then mixing viscose with the mass, and finally mixing fibrous material with the mass.

12. In the manufacture of artificial leather the process which consists in glutinizing vegetable proteids with a phenol, then mixing gelatinized cellulose with the mass, and

finally mixing fibrous material with the mass.

13. In the manufacture of artificial leather the process which consists in glutinizing vegetable proteids, and mixing an active methylene compound with the mass and forming the mass into a sheet.

methylene compound with the mass and finally mixing fibrous material with the mass.

15. In the manufacture of artificial leather the process which consists in glutinizing vegetable proteids, and mixin a sticky viscid agent with the mass. and nally mixing a condensing agent with the resulting mass.

16. In the manufacture of artificial leather the process which consists in glutinizing vegetable proteids with a phenol, and mixing a sticky viscid agent, cellulose derivatives, an active methylene compound and fibrous material with the mass.

17. In the manufacture of artificial leather the process which consists in glutinizing vegetable proteids with a phenol, and mixing an oxidized oil and fibrous material to the resulting glutinized mass.

18. In the manufacture of artificial leather the process which consists in glutinizing vegetable proteids with a phenol, and mixing an oxidized oil, an active methylene compound and fibrous material with the mass.

19. In the manufacture of artificial leather the process which consists in glutinizing vegetable proteids with a phenol, and mixing an oxidized oil, gelatinized cellulose, an active methylene compound and fibrous material with the glutinized mass.

20. In the manufacture of artificial leather the process which consists in glutinizing vegetable proteids and then adding an oxidized oil and fibrous material to the mass.

21. In the manufacture of artificial leather the process which consists in glutinizing vegetable proteids and then adding an oxidized oil and cellulose derivatives to the mass.

22. In the manufacture of artificial'leather the process which consists in glutinizing vegetable proteids and then adding cellulose derivatives to the glutinized mass.

23. In the manufacture of artificial leather the process which consists in glutinizing' vegetable proteids and then adding gelatinized cellulose to the glutinized mass.

24. In the manufacture of artificial leather the process which consists in treating vegetable proteids with a phenol to glutinize the same, and mixing an oxidized oil and gelatinized cellulose with the glutinized mass.

25. In the manufacture of artificial leather the process which consists in treating vegetable proteids with a phenol to glutinize the same, and mixing an oxidized oil, gelatinized cellulose and an active methylene compound with the glutinized mass.

26. In the manufactureof artificial leather the process which consists in treating vegetable proteids with a phenol to glutinize the same, and mixing an oxidized oil, gelatinized cellulose, an active methylene compound and an alkali with the glutinized mass.

' 27. In the manufacture of artificial leather the process which consists in glutinizing vegetable proteids and then mixing a sticky viscid agent and-fibrous material, and an active methylene compound with the glutinized mass. I

28. In the manufacture of artificial leather the process which consists in separating the vegetable proteids from proteid containing material, then glutinizing the separated proteids and mixing fibrous material with the glutinized mass.

29. In the manufacture of artificial leather theprocess which consists in separating in a liquid the vegetable proteids of proteid containing raw material, then precipitating the proteidal substances from the liquid and glutinizing the precipitated proteidal substances and adding fibrous material to the resulting mass.

30. As a new article of manufacture, artificial leather consisting of glutinized vegetable proteid substances having fibrous material incorporated therein.

31. As a new article of manufacture, artificial leather consisting of glutinized vegetable proteid substances containing, an active methylene compound.

32. As a new article of manufacture, artificial leather consisting of glutinized vegetable proteid substances containing an active methylene compound and fibrous material.

33. As a new article of manufacture, artificial leather consisting of glutinized vegetable proteid substances containing an oxidized oil and fibrous material.

34. As a new article of manufacture, artificial leather consisting of glutinized vege table proteid substances containing a sticky viscid agent.

35. As a new article of manufacture, artificial leather consisting of glutinized vegetable proteid substances containing a sticky viscid agent and fibrous material.

. 36. As a new article of manufacture, artificial leather consisting of glutinized vegetable proteid substances, an active methylene I agent, an oxidized oil and fibrous material.

37 The process of manufacturing artificial leather which consists in treating vegetable proteids with a proteid glutinizing agent to glutinize the same and then adding fibrous material to the resulting mass.

38. The process of manufacturing artiearner? ficial leather which consists in treating vegetable proteids with a phenol to glutinlze the same and then adding fibrous material to the glutinized mass.

39. In the manufacture of artificial leather I vegetable proteid substances, then treating the glutinized mass with an oxidized oil, an active methylene compound and an alkali, and finally adding fibrous material thereto.

41. In the manufacture of artificial leather the process which consists in glutinizing vegetable proteid substances with a phenol and adding an active methylene compound and an alkali to the glutinized mass, and adding fibrous material to the resulting mass.

42. In the manufacture of artificial leather the process which consists in treating vegetable proteid substances with phenol to glutinize the same, then adding an oxidizing oil, an active methylene compound and an alkali to the glutinized mass and finally adding fibrous material to the resulting mass.

43. As a new article of manufacture, artificial leather consisting of glutinized proteids and cellulose derivatives.

44. As a new article of manufacture, artificial leather consisting of glutinized vegetable proteids and gelatinized cellulose.

45. As a new article of manufacture, artificial leather consisting of glutinized vege-' table proteids and cellulose derivatives and a sticky viscid substance.

46. As a new article of manufacture, artificial leather consisting of glutinized vegetable proteids and cellulose derivatives, a sticky viscid substance and fibrous material.

47. As a new article of manufacture, artificial leather consisting of glutinized vegetable proteids and cellulose derivatives, a sticky viscid substance, fibrous material and a condensing agent.

48. As a new article of manufacture, artificial leather consisting of glutinized vegetable proteids and cellulose derivatives, a sticky viscid substance, fibrous material, a condensing agent and an alkali.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this 1st day of December, A. D. 1916.

SADAKIOHI SATOW. 

